Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1877 — NEWS SUMMARY [ARTICLE]

NEWS SUMMARY

THE WAR IN THE EAST. Tho most important event of the war in Europe ho far is tho fall of Flevnn, tho chief stronghold of tho Turks north of tho Balkan mountains. After a Hevero engagement before the town on Sunday, the 9th mat., Osman Pasha, who was wounded, surrendered unconditionally. On Saturday, tho Btli, says a special cable dispatch of tho 11th, “ after Osman Pasha ' had found his escape impossible, Ills army starving and perishing with cold, and no hope of succeis, ho scut a parlementairo to tho Russian headquarters with a special lettei addressed personally to the Grand Buko Nicholas as chief of the army investing Plevna. The Grand Duke declined either to accept the letter or to receive the parlementaire, and directed him to bo escortod to tho headquarters of Frinco Charles as Commandor-in-Cliief of tho allied armies besieging Plevna. The purport of thS letter was a request for favorablo torms of capitulation, and an ospocial request from Osman Pasha to bo allowed to surrender his sword to the Grand Buko Nicholas. This being impossible, tho parlementairo returned. On Sunday another desperate assault was made on the Russian right, in which Osman Tasha himself was wounded, and about 3,000 Turks put hors do combat. Nothing remained but unconditional surrender, and thus closod ono of tho bravest defenses of modern times.” The losses in killed and wounded at tho taking of Plevna are stated at 4,000 for the Turks and 1,444 for the Russians. The Porte has issued a circular addressed to tho leading European powers, in which it expresses a desire for peace and requests thenmediation. A proclamation has been issued by the Servian Government announcing that its army has been ordered to cross the Turkish frontier. A dispatch from Plevna says : “ The immediate cause of Osman Pasha’s abandoning the intrenchments was the breaking out of an epidemic among tho troops. There were forty or fifty dead bodies a day in Plevna. There were no men available to bury them, and the mortality was increasing.” A Russian official dispatch dated Bogot, Deo. 13, says sixty battalions of Turks attacked the forcen of the Grand Duke Yladimir all along tho line, directing, however, their principal effor, s against the left and center. They attacked Metchka six times, but were each time repulsed with great loss. At 1 p. m the Thirty-fifth Division of the Twelfth Russian Army Corps appeared on tho scene, and, attacking the Turks on their flank, compelled them, with the 00-operation of the rest of the Russian forces, to retire upon Krasna their retreat to Jovan-Oiftlik being cut off. The Grand Doke Yladimir narrowly escaped a ball. Suleiman Pasha, describing the same affair, claims that he carried some of the intrenchments of Metchka, but was unable to hold them, owing to the fire from the heights and the arrival of Russian reinforcements. He consequently withdrew to his original position after a seven- hours’ battle. The Turkish Parliament has chosen a President who is a Christian. A correspondent at Plevna gives the following account of the meeting between Osman Pasha and Ws conquerors: The Grand Duka k* up to wniw for

(tome seconds the two chiefs gazed into each other’s faceH without the utterance of a word. Then the Grand Duke stretched out his hand, shook the hand of Osman Pasha heartily, and said, “1 compliment you on your dofense of Plevna. It is one of the most splendid military feats in history.” Osman smiled sadly, rose painfully to his feet in spite of his wound, and said something which I could not hear. He then reseated himself. The Russian officers all cried “Bravo! Bravo!” repeatedly, and all saluted respectfully. There was not one among them who did not gaze on the hero of Plevna with the gravest admiration and sympathy. Prince Charles, of Boumania, who had arrived, rode up and repeated unwittingly almost every word of the Grand Duke, and shook hands with Osman, who again rose, and bowed this time in grim silence. He wore a loose blue'cloak, with no apparent mark on it to designate his rank, and a red fez. Ho is a large, strongly-built man. Tho lower part of his face is covered with a short, black beard without a streak of gray, and he has a large Boman nose and black eyes.